


Ignite

by leadingblind (babesrgrs)



Category: Fantastic Four (Movieverse), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-22
Updated: 2013-04-29
Packaged: 2017-12-03 04:57:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/694417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babesrgrs/pseuds/leadingblind
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve doesn't hate it in the future, except that he does. And then he doesn't.</p>
<p>In the meantime he has a weird relationship with Johnny Storm.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Betaed by [Schizanthus](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Schizanthus) from chapter two onwards.

Steve wasn't a person who dealt in hate, not really. Sure, there were people, things, like the Red Skull that raised anger, contempt and even hate in him, but that happened in a more abstract level. He didn't spend any time deliberately torturing himself by thinking about how disgustingly greedy and ruthless the Skull had been, how awful the war had been. He wouldn't forget, but he didn't let it fill him with hate and eat him alive.

He didn't hate Tony Stark. Could not, since the guy wasn't actually bad. But God did it sometimes feel like hate, what burned inside him.

Like now.

”You know, it's not just that I don't do well with orders, it's the taking orders from a stuck-up, self-righteous prick that's the bigger problem here.” 

Steve was just about to suggest that Tony leave the team then, if working in it was such a hardship for him, but stopped himself by biting his cheek. They needed Tony and it wasn't always this bad. And it wasn't war and they weren't the army and his team should be able to come up to him if they didn't like how he did things.

His second reaction was to offer Tony the leadership, see how he fared, but that would have been childish. It was his responsibility and Tony for all his genius wasn't a tactician.

His third answer he couldn't keep inside of him, so he gave what he got.

”Yeah, well, the Avengers is for helping people and saving lives and you could try to remember that instead of taking offense at every little imagined slight against you! I'm not there to please you, to do as you like, I'm there to try to keep the team together so we'd be as good as we can be!”

”Oh, please, spare me your pep talk shit. Bottom line is, there's no way I'm going to do as ordered if I can clearly see a much better course of action. That's how I've always done it and it has worked quite well so far.”

Steve rolled his eyes. ”You're missing the point. I don't care who's idea the plan is as long as everybody's on the same page. If you think you know better, ask first, inform me and the team first. You're leaving me totally blind as to what to do with others if you can't be arsed to tell me what the hell you're up to!”

”And achieve what? Lose precious time trying to explain things to you so that you can shoot me down? Don't think so,” Tony said.

”That was one time! And there was no guarantee your half-assed scheme would have worked.”

”It would have,” Tony said tightly. ”I had run the numbers, it would have worked just fine. But what's the point in trying to explain you anything when you don't trust me?!”

”Trust you!?” Steve repeated hotly, and while he sort of realized their fights were almost predictable to the word and as such, ridiculous and stupid, he just couldn't drop it. ”How am I supposed to trust you when you show absolutely no interest in what anyone else says to you? You really think complete disregard to other people is going to achieve trust in them?”

”Well that's lies, since it's just you and other dull people. Bruce and Pepper for example – ”

”Oh yeah, Pepper. I could see how much she trusts you when she called you three times during the documentary and in the end had to sic Natasha on to you, just to get you to one measly meeting. To be honest, that woman's got to be a saint or crazy to put up with you.”

And that was a line crossed, Steve realized, when Tony's face closed off completely.

”Tony, I didn't mean – ”

”Leave her out of this,” Tony said coldly. ”And actually, leave altogether.”

Steve did, because there was nothing he could do or say that wouldn't make it even worse.

*****

When Steve first met Johnny Storm, he wasn't very impressed.

Well sure, the fire thing was almost on par with the Iron Man suit in impressiveness, and then there was the slightly weird experience of someone looking uncannily like you, but at the end of the day Storm seemed to be just another jerk.

”You sure you never banged anyone with the name Storm? Or Brown? I mean, how cool would it be to have Captain America as your granddad? Also weird, since you look almost younger than me,” the guy said with an infuriating smirk.

”I'm sure,” Steve said.

Johnny gave Steve a once over. ”On the other hand,” he said, his voice a lot lower suddenly, ”now it wouldn't be incest.”

Steve heard a choked off laugh from behind him. Clint, since the sound was male. Bruce wouldn't find this that funny, Thor didn't choke off his laughs and Tony still had his helmet on.

”It wouldn't be anything, since it's not going to happen,” Steve bit out.

”Ouch,” Storm said, but didn't look like he'd taken offense.

Steve had nothing more to say, so he nodded at the man, ready to leave.

Storm grabbed his hand. ”Can I get your number?” 

Steve stared at him, because really? He could understand being the butt of a joke, but Storm seemed to be serious now. Well. And really smarmy.

Before he could get out a polite 'no', Tony came to stand beside him. ”I'll send it to you,” he said to Storm. ”Cap here could use getting laid.”

”You'll do no such thing,” he hissed to Tony, trying to fight embarrassment. 

God he wanted to hit Tony. And Storm too, a bit.

*****

_What are you wearing? - Johnny_

 

Steve was. Really not amused. And what the hell did that mean, anyway?

 

 _Clothes_ , he answered, since it was weirdly hard to ignore a personal message. He actually liked the text messaging thing. You could leave a message if you didn't have anything pressing to say or the other one was busy. Or if you just wanted to avoid the awkward silences.

Although he had no one who he could have texted with, really. The team lived mostly in the Tower. Coulson texted him sometimes, but his messages rarely needed any answers. They were usually just updates that he would get in briefings anyway.

 

_Not in my mind._

 

Right.

 

_Right._

 

_Let's go out today? Seven fine with you?_

 

Steve felt really out of his depth here. Because it obviously was a date, but saying 'no' felt rude, especially since he was completely free. He usually was. Also, going out for a date with someone didn't mean you were going to... do anything else with them. Steve knew. He had been on a lot of awkward dates in his life, and not usually that voluntarily.

And maybe it would be better than to just mope around the tower, sketching and training.

 

_Where?_

 

_I'll come pick you up._

*****

Quarter to seven Steve was outside the tower waiting. He really didn't want anyone else to know about their date or at least not to be there at any point of it.

Just a few minutes of waiting and Storm slid next to Steve with his bike.

_With his bike._

”Hello,” Steve said, and tried to think if going back inside and taking a lift to the garage and getting his own bike would alarm Tony.

His helmet was in his room, though. And apparently it was illegal to not wear one when riding a motorcycle nowadays.

”Hop on,” Storm said, grinning, his helmet's screen up.

”I don't have a helmet,” Steve tried.

”Good thing I brought you one,” Storm said and pointed at his back bag.

Steve was just about to decline when he realized that he was scared of a little bike ride with Storm. That he was a bit ridiculous. If Storm drove a bike, and a nice one as well, it was very possible that he didn't have a car or didn't even think to take one. It might not be a plan to get Steve to sit snugly behind him.

”Great,” Steve said and took the helmet from Storm.

Still a bit paranoid he glanced around if anyone was staring, then threw his other leg over the bike and sat behind Storm. The back bag guaranteed that he didn't have to sit that close to the other man. 

On the way to wherever it came to Steve that it was the second time he was going out as in doing something outside the tower that wasn't something mundane or job-related. And the second time only if you counted the shawarma after the Loki mess.

Before the war they went out every single day with Bucky.

Well. Their place had been so small and miserable that it would have been crazy to stay there all day. You would have gone crazy.

He did sometimes wonder if he in actuality was crazy. If the whole future gig was in fact him imagining everything. Perhaps he had gone into a coma or something from the super soldier experiment and was now living inside his head.

Except he couldn't really believe that he would have imagined himself to this life of fighting super criminals in the future, but being really bored in the meantime and pestered by the likes of Tony Stark and Johnny Storm.

Well. He could be really, really crazy.

Steve's thoughts got distracted when he realized they were going way over the speed limit. Steve thought if maybe Storm was trying to impress him. Scare him, perhaps? So he'd hug Storm tighter? Weirdly enough he wasn't really that annoyed about the thought.

”You ever had sushi?” Storm asked him when they had stopped.

”No,” Steve said.

”Well, that's going to change. The best sushi in town, I swear.”

They went into a light and sleek establishment and Steve felt a bit out of place, but tried to ignore the feeling. He'd never get anywhere now if he started to avoid places where he wasn't completely comfortable.

While Storm ordered for them both Steve thought that he had been a bit harsh on Storm. He hadn't said or done anything inappropriate on their date so far, while Steve had questioned his every move. Because maybe the guy didn't just try to score with Steve. Maybe Steve was just being narcissistic.

”So, what do I need to do to get into those pants?”

Well. At least he wasn't being the jerk.

”Not that I want to encourage you, but wooing me with raw fish isn't really doing it.”

Storm smiled. ”Don't say that yet, you're going to love it.”

”No, I'll be too embarrassed because I can't work the chopsticks to concentrate on how the food tastes.”

The smile turned into something lewd. ”I can feed you, if you want.”

”I don't.”

”I'll teach you, then.”

Steve thought about it, and figured it'd be quite nice actually, to learn something new, no matter how small.

”Okay.”

”It won't be like teaching to use a bow and an arrow, but I'll take what I can.”

What.

”I know how to use a bow.”

”Did the Hawk-guy teach you?”

”Yes.”

”Was his arrow pointing at you?”

What.

”I'm sorry?”

”Never mind.”

Okay. They waited their food in silence then, giving Steve time to stare at Storm. It wasn't like looking into a mirror, thank God, but they could be brothers. Storm's features were softer and a bit rounder, he had darker hair and he was shorter and leaner. But they had the same eyes and mouth.

”It's not just because of that,” Storm said.

”What isn't just because of what?”

”I don't want to have sex with you just because we look like each other.”

”Okay,” Steve said slowly, not really sure if he wanted Storm to elaborate.

”It's also somewhat because, and it hurts me to say it, you're even better looking than me. Not hotter, though, but better looking. And some of it is the Captain America thing.”

So it was his serum enhanced looks and the legend looming over him. ”Right.”

And it was ridiculous that he was feeling disappointed since he had absolutely no intention to have sex with Storm. 

”I mean, you got to be something pretty special to become, to be, Captain America, yeah?”

Oh. Well. That was a nice thing to say.

”Or nothing special.”

Storm just gave him this look, like he knew better. Steve decided to leave it there. Which was easy since the food came then.

Steve didn't know if he liked how the food looked like, but it smelled really good.

And when Storm took his hand to show him the right way to hold the sticks he sort of understood the bow and arrow quip. He learned to use the chopsticks quite quickly, no surprise really, and found that sushi wasn't that bad. Certainly a lot better than he had expected.

He ate everything, but he would have done it anyway, good or not.

And that was it, the date, more or less. Storm drove him back, taking a lot longer route than before. Steve wasn't sure if it was to show off some sights or his driving skills or if he just didn't want the date to end.

Although Steve really didn't think he was that good company, very much the opposite actually. So perhaps Storm was just lost.

Then again Storm had given him the back bag to carry, so they were sitting quite tightly together.

But then _again_ , Steve had heard about Storm and knew that if he wanted to just sleep with someone, there were people waiting in line. So it didn't make much sense that he would get exited about this.

Steve decided not to think about it and just enjoyed the ride.

Back at the tower he had got into the communal living room when he was faced with Tony.

”So, where were you?”

Steve swallowed his annoyance, because while it was none of Tony's business, it was also a harmless question.

”Just out.”

”With whom?”

Steve didn't answer that, because what could he say? He was not going to tell anyone about his weird sushi-date with Storm, and 'none of your business' never went well with Tony.

”Hey, I'm just surprised since I didn't know you had a personal life.”

”Don't start,” Steve ground out. 

Tony smirked at him. ”A bad date?”

And Steve had never been a good liar and something showed in his face.

”You _had_ a date!” Tony gloated. ”And now you're back alone. Did you not get any, that's why you're grumpy?”

Steve maintained his silence and just glared at Tony.

”Oh, now I got to know who she was. Someone I know?”

”Stay away from it,” Steve said. And since it was almost worse than 'none of your business', Tony just got a mean glint in his eyes.

”I don't think so. JARVIS, bring forth any video material you can get to about Cap here in the last few hours, anything where he's with someone.”

”Tony, stop it,” Steve warned, but in vain, since he couldn't do anything to Tony. He'd never use violence on anyone outside a fight and Tony was hardly going to care if he got mad at him.

”This is from the Tower's outside security camera,” JARVIS voiced and a video clip opened on to the TV-screen before them.

And oh God, it was from the trip back. Steve watched with ever growing embarrassment and horror as Storm's bike glided into the picture, in an annoyingly good quality. It wasn't obvious that it was Steve until he took his helmet off, still sitting on the bike. 

On the screen while Steve was stuffing the helmet into the bag Storm took his helmet off.

And they were still sitting pressed together.

Because even with it being Storm – who wasn't that obnoxious once you got used to him – Steve hadn't minded being physically close to someone. It sounded a bit pathetic really, but well. Maybe he was.

And then.

God. Steve had seen it coming. Had sort of anticipated it before, and had even thought of ways to duck. But in the moment, well, he hadn't felt bad for Storm exactly, since honestly, Steve really was the lonely and sad one, but he had thought that he kind of owed it to Storm. Who had taken him to a date and said that he had to be something special – and after eating well and driving around with the bike Steve had been kind of content for a second there.

And so now in front of them Johnny Storm turned around towards screen-Steve and pressed a kiss to his lips. And screen-Steve didn't deck him or jump off the bike, but instead answered to the kiss.

And JARVIS, the apparently evil AI, stopped the clip there. Their faces still together. Looking _tender_ of all things.

Steve glanced at Tony and found the man staring at the screen expressionlessly.

There wasn't a trace of glee on Tony's face, which Steve found almost alarming.

”What, not going to make fun of me?” Steve asked bitterly.

Like suddenly realizing he wasn't alone, Tony whipped his head towards Steve. And now his face wasn't emotionless anymore, but almost pained or angry.

”You do know he's just trying to score with Captain America?”

And that was rich, Steve thought, Tony acting like he cared or something, after giving Storm his number in the first place.

”Not that I'm actually interested in Storm, but wasn't it you who said something about me needing to get laid and who gave my number to Storm?”

”As a joke! I didn't expect you to go and get it on with him!”

”I didn't 'get it on' with him and it's not any concern of yours anyway with whom I do what, since you're not my boyfriend and certainly not my friend!”

Tony looked taken aback for a second before. ”And you think Storm is? Your friend or boyfriend – ”

”I said I wasn't interested in him!”

”And yet there you were kissing him – ”

”What the hell does it matter to you?!” Steve almost yelled, because good God Tony drove him crazy like no one else.

”...you know what? Nothing. Let's forget about this charming conversation and I'll go do something fun and you can go fuck the fire-boy for all I care.”

”I'm not _fucking_ – ! Yeah, fine, whatever.”

*****

He didn't hear from Storm for a couple of days and started to think that he had probably driven the man away with his lack of enthusiasm. 

And he honestly had no idea if he was disappointed or relieved.

Both, he decided. Because while he couldn't see himself having a relationship with the man, he had enjoyed someone paying attention to him. Steve cringed a bit at how self-centered it sounded, but it was the truth.

And then he started to think that would a relationship with Johnny Storm be that bad? They weren't identical – Steve didn't think of himself when he looked at him – so that wasn't really a problem. Storm was a horrible flirt, but Bucky had been a horrible flirt and Steve had carried a torch for him for ages. He didn't know the man well enough to say much else. He was attractive and was a good guy and kissing him had felt quite nice.

Mostly Steve's apprehension was because he felt so disconnected from most people now, including Storm. He couldn't really see himself part of anything or being in a relationship with anyone.

But, it was a moot point anyway, since Storm didn't seem to be interested anymore and he hadn't been after a relationship in the first place. Better just to forget about the whole thing.

Of course he got a message just then.

 

_Want to come to my place and make out?_

 

Steve felt heat rising to his neck and pondered what to answer for a moment. He wasn't really sure what was included in 'making out', or what Storm meant with it. But well, he could put a stop to it if things got too uncomfortable. And he could ask Storm what he was after.

*****

”Do you want anything to drink?”

”Yeah, anything's good,” Steve said while he was looking around Storm's place. The whole apartment was one big, open space, kitchen on the other end and Storm's bed on the other. In the middle there was a black leather couch and a huge TV-screen. He didn't have a dining table so he probably ate on the sofa. On various side tables and shelves the were some books and other personal items. On the walls there were a few posters of some movies and on the wall opposite the bed was a big mirror. Steve decided not to think about it too much.

Because God, what the heck was he doing?

He glanced at Storm who had put two bottles of beer on the table and seemed to be rummaging around the kitchen looking for something.

His hair was slightly damp, Steve noticed. And now that he thought about it, and how Storm had smelled when Steve had come inside, it was obvious that he had very recently showered, shaved and washed his teeth. And he had a nice button down shirt and snug black jeans on.

Steve smiled. It could be that the man hadn't just been bothered to shower earlier on, but it seemed like he had made an effort to look nice for Steve.

”What are you looking for?” Steve asked as he went to the kitchenette.

”My bottle opener, I'd swear I left it here somewhere.”

”Well,” Steve just said and took the bottle and popped it open with his hand.

Storm looked at him for a second. ”Cool.”

Steve gave the bottle to Storm and opened the other for himself.

*****

They had moved to the sofa and Storm had put the TV on. Steve wasn't at all interested in the show, and he didn't think Storm was either. Steve had already finished his drink, but wasn't going to make the first move.

It was ridiculous, sure, since Storm had invited him to make out, and they both knew what was coming, and neither of them couldn't not be aware of the tension between them.

But Storm didn't seem to be in a hurry.

”I was going to ask you, what exactly do you want from me?”

Storm put his bottle away. ”Well. Honestly, I want to fuck you. But since you're cool and actually hilarious, I would like to keep hanging out with you. Or if we do fuck, I'd probably like to keep fucking you.”

Right. Steve cleared his throat. ”I don't know about all that fucking, but I guess I don't mind spending time with you.”

”Great,” Storm said and turned to him. Storm put a hand on Steve's thigh and looked questioningly at Steve. For a second Steve thought about putting an end to the whole thing and just leaving, but instead he just nodded his consent.

And then Storm's lips were pressed against his, moving slowly at first, coaxing Steve to respond. And it was like it had been on the bike, except they weren't in public, but on Storm's couch, and there was no reason to stop.

Storm raised his other hand onto Steve's shoulder, taking it to the back of Steve's neck and finally sliding it into Steve's hair. They were like that for a while, making only slight adjustments to where their hands went, Steve finally having put his around Storm's middle.

It was warm and heady and when Storm licked at his mouth, slipping his tongue in, Steve started to feel turned on. And he felt a bit embarrassed about it, because he hadn't been sure if he would find kissing Storm arousing and anyway, this was the most he had ever done with another person.

Then Storm climbed onto his lap and it became quite obvious that he wasn't the only one hard.

Steve's hands went to Storm's ass, because it felt like the thing to do and anyway, Storm had a really nice ass. Storm seemed to approve since he rolled his hips against Steve's then and well. Wow. It was an incredibly good feeling to kiss someone while they were pressed against you like that.

And it just got better, until they were rutting together and Steve wondered why had he thought he wouldn't want to have sex with a fit, good-looking man. Sure, Storm mostly wanted him because of his superhero persona, but at least he was honest about it. And, well, here Steve was reciprocating quite enthusiastically because Storm was attractive and he was lonely.

But then Storm slowed down and pulled back a bit. 

”What?” Steve asked.

”Let's go to bed.”

Steve stared at Storm for a little while, because while he wanted to, really quite badly, he had his issues. The fact that he hadn't ever done this before, for one. And the perhaps naive and overly romantic notion that he wanted sex to mean something, for another.

But well, that had been when he had been in love with Bucky. Not that they would have ever done anything like it, since Bucky hadn't liked men and Steve wouldn't have ever told him anyway.

He wasn't in love with anyone now.

”Okay.”

With Storm leading they made their way to the bed. Storm sat on the edge and leaned backwards.

”Take your shirt off.”

Steve gave him a look, but complied, taking his time opening the buttons. Under the button down he had an undershirt which he pulled off quickly afterward, trying not to seem modest.

Because he had no reason at all to be self-conscious about his body now – he knew what he looked like – but he had never been under any scrutiny in a situation like this. In a medical setting, sure, but not with a – a lover, if that's what Storm was to him now.

”Fuck,” Storm just breathed. He didn't move to take his own shirt off and Steve was unsure what to do, but then Storm gave him a look that was half lustful half challenging and Steve decided to take the rest off. Storm probably got off on having Captain America stripping for him.

He couldn't quite make a show out of it, but he did take it fairly slow, so at least he didn't fumble with his shoelaces or something. When he started opening his belt and fly, Storm's hand went to the front of his own pants. Steve felt really attractive and wanted just then and he was glad it was Storm he was with, because it all was weirdly comfortable and easy with him.

He was down to his boxers and hesitated, but Storm's lips were parted and his eyes were dark and he was staring with his hand pressing against his erection, so Steve just went for it.

”God you're hot.”

Steve ignored the comment. ”Your turn,” he said instead. 

Storm was far quicker with the stripping, partly due to Steve helping him to pull his pants off. At the end of it, they were both gloriously unclothed, Steve standing next to the bed and Storm sprawled on the bed, and Steve let himself look, taking in everything, every nook and line and shape. Since he hadn't yet had a good glimpse of Storm's ass, he thought his favorite part was probably Storm's pectorals that had a nice dusting of chest hair.

Steve crawled on top of Storm, straddling him and was glad to see Storm looking almost overwhelmed. He liked sassy and bossy people, but he liked seeing them shut up even more.

Feeling a bit smug Steve bent his head down to catch Storm's lips in a kiss. He took his time and let his hands wander everywhere he could reach. He really liked the chest hair. And the freedom to even do this in the first place so easily, the fact that no one who could come to know about it would really care, not about Storm being a guy.

He had a fleeting thought about Tony and what he would say, if he knew. He remembered insisting that he had no interest in Storm, no intentions towards him. Funny how that had turned out.

He wasn't quite so comfortable with himself that he could have rocked his hips the same way Storm had done earlier on the sofa, so he took Storm's erection into his hand and started to pump it slowly. And that, feeling another man's full cock in his hand, the slight burn of a stubble against his face, was just as heady as he had imagined.

Storm moaned into his mouth and started to lift his hips in a rhythm to Steve's hand. Steve pushed Storm down, never releasing his grip on the man's cock, and supported himself with his other hand just above him, leaving a bit of room between them. Storm's hands flew almost immediately to Steve's back and ass, trying to pull them tighter together. Steve let Storm take most of his weight, tucking his face against the other man's neck. It made it harder to move his hand, but Storm didn't seem to mind, being content to just push into it.

”Oh Jesus fuck,” Storm moaned, quickening his thrusts. Steve recognized his hurry and pressed biting kisses onto Storm's neck, trying at the same time to tighten his grip on Storm's every thrust.

It didn't take very long after that that a slight sweat broke on Storm's skin, probably at least partly due to Steve's considerable body heat, and he started to make all these half-choked moans that went straight to Steve's groin.

Then suddenly Storm groaned and Steve could feel his cock pulsing in his hand, getting his grip wet with semen.

And funny how even though Steve was extremely aroused himself, for a second his most pressing feeling was that of accomplishment.

”Fuck, Steve. Fuck”, Storm said and Steve found the cursing only appropriate.

”Yeah?”

Storm chuckled. ”Fuck yeah.”

Steve moved to the other side of Storm, not really wanting to lose the full-body contact, but hoping that maybe Storm would quicker notice his need.

He wasn't disappointed.

”Spread your legs,” Storm said.

Storm went to kneel between Steve's parted thighs and before Steve really got what was coming, Storm had taken a grip of his cock and closed his lips around it. 

That was. Really nice.

Steve tried to keep still, and mostly succeeded, but every once in a while he made an involuntary jerk due to Storm doing something wicked with his mouth.

”Oh, God,” he couldn't help but sigh. He had never thought about sex particularly explicitly, mostly that he wanted to be with somebody, to move with them, to touch and be touched. He'd probably think about having his cock in someone's mouth in the future.

Storm moved his hand and head in sync, applying delicious wet heat and suction. Steve glanced at Storm and seeing him doing it was what it took. ”Storm,” he breathed to warn the guy and Storm took his mouth away, jerking him to a quick completion.

Steve closed his eyes as he climaxed, but he felt some of the ejaculation landing on his stomach.

Storm crawled to lie next to him.

”You could call me Johnny after that, I think.”

Steve laughed.


	2. Chapter 2

Apparently they had dozed off, Steve realized some time later upon waking up. He was cold–and no wonder–since they were naked on top of the covers. He looked at a still sleeping Storm –well, Johnny– and tried to come up with what to do.

Johnny looked really enticing and Steve thought about just getting them under the covers and close to each other. He didn't need sleep though, and he wasn't sure sleeping like that with Johnny would be welcome or not weird.

He was about to get up when Johnny woke up too.

”You going somewhere?”

”Yeah, back to the Tower.”

Storm opened his eyes and checked the clock. ”Steve, it's past midnight. You can bunk here, I don't mind.”

Well. He really was a bit cold.

And that was why he woke up hours later, early in the morning, Johnny's leg thrown over his thighs. It sort of hit him then that he had slept with Johnny Storm.

After knowing him for about a week, having met him twice before.

And he knew that a lot of people slept with complete strangers, but he had never seen any appeal in it. Even now, although what they'd done had been really good and he didn't regret it, it would have been nice if he could have pulled Johnny in his arms or kissed him good morning and perhaps had breakfast in bed with him. 

But they weren't like that.

*****

Steve was slightly apprehensive when he got back to the Tower. He parked his bike in the garage and took the elevator up. He had never stayed away the whole night for as long as they all had lived in the Tower. He hoped no one would notice or care.

”Where were you?” Was the first thing he heard when he got out of the elevator. Clint and Natasha were having breakfast in the communal kitchen slash living room area.

”Out,” Steve said, really wanting to just go to his own room, but Jesus he was hungry. He hadn't eaten anything at Storm's. Johnny's. So he went to the fridge, piling up a huge plate of everything.

”Not alone, I hope. If you want to go clubbing or something, you do know you can invite us?” Clint said.

And that was nice, Steve thought. Not that he would be interested in going clubbing or whatever, but still. He sometimes forgot that they were friends.

”I was at a... friend's place,” Steve said then, suddenly wanting to volunteer some information.

”What kind of a friend?” Natasha asked as she turned to really look at him.

”Well,” Steve started, but didn't know how to go on. 

”Oh, really?” Now Clint was looking at him as well.

Steve didn't answer anything, but knew his silence spoke for him. 

”Care to tell us anything about her?” Clint asked.

Before Steve could come up with anything, the elevator doors opened to admit Tony and Bruce. “What's up, children?”

“We're trying to get Cap to tell us who's the lucky girl,” Natasha said and Steve thought that hunger would have been preferable to this.

“Lucky girl?” Tony asked, turning his gaze towards Steve.

“Yeah, the one he spent the night with,” Clint continued. 

Tony's facial expression tightened notably. “I see.” And Steve really didn't understand what Tony's problem was. Even if he'd been in any position to give an opinion about Steve's choice of partners, he was a self proclaimed _playboy_ and disapproving Steve's thing with Johnny Storm was nothing but hypocritical.

“I'll just go now,” Steve said and started to walk away with his plate.

Tony seemed to almost say something, but in the end didn't. Steve was glad, since it would have probably revealed Johnny's identity, or at the very least been something embarrassing.

*****

Another day and another fight and Steve hated his life. Well, no he didn't, but he certainly didn't like it at the moment. Their enemies of the day were bullies who wanted to cause damage and destruction just for the sake of it, which always left Steve on edge. On top of that the team's mood was somewhat strained. It was mostly Tony's doing, being prickly and difficult towards everybody. He ignored Steve, which pissed Steve off more than Tony's sniping, weirdly enough. Steve grew frustrated and couldn't always keep it to himself, so he took it out on the rest of the team and their adversaries.

Steve became careless for a second, just wanting it to end so he could go home and sulk. He didn't get his shield to the right position in time and took a bullet to his left shoulder. He couldn't help a groan, but at least it cleared his head a bit. He took the shooter out with the shield.

“Everything OK?” Natasha asked through the comm system.

“Yeah, just – a bullet in my shoulder.”

“Since that's just nice and peachy,” Clint commented.

“It'll heal, and he was the last one here.”

The fight was almost over, Natasha was tying the terrorists up and Clint was keeping an eye out so no one would surprise them. Thor was in Asgard and they hadn't taken Bruce, since the fight had been against regular humans with big guns. Tony landed next to Steve, watching him silently.

“I'll take you to SHIELD,” he said after a while.

Steve was slightly surprised, since Tony didn't usually offer rides for them. Then he saw that the arm of his suit was almost completely drenched in blood. Steve wanted to decline still, but knew that if he lost his consciousness due to blood loss, he would be a nuisance to carry around.

“Hawkeye, what does it look like up there?”

“No unfriendlies anywhere and I see a SHIELD clean-up crew coming.”

“Copy that. Widow and Hawkeye, wait until they're here before leaving. I'm going to take care of the bullet wound with Iron Man,” Steve said and nodded to Tony at the same time.

Steve put the shield in place on his back and stepped closer to Tony. He had never flown any longer distances with Tony and didn't know how to proceed. Before, he had just taken Tony's hand and gotten a quick lift to where ever he was needed, but it wouldn't do now.

“Wrap your right arm around my neck and hold tight,” the suit's metallic voice advised.

Steve did as he was told, pressing himself tightly against Tony. It was probably just the blood loss speaking, but it felt weirdly intimate.

“Try not to pass out until we are high up: I need both arms for stabilizing until we gain speed.”

“Yeah,” Steve just said, closing his eyes and concentrating on keeping a tight hold on the suit. He knew Tony would take care of the rest.

*****

Steve was having the bullet removed from his shoulder. He wasn't given any local anesthetics, since they didn't really work on him. The only way to not feel pain during operations was being put to sleep, but he always vetoed that unless absolutely necessary. 

The pain was bearable and he was almost glad to have something to concentrate on other than Tony, still in his suit, leaning against the wall. Because what was with that?

Tony had said that he would give him a lift home, which was nice, since he'd rather rest there than on the Helicarrier, but it _was_ odd.

They didn't use any stitches, since the wound wasn't very large and he would heal so quickly. He couldn't put his suit jacket back on since it was ruined, so they brought him a SHIELD issue undershirt and hoodie.

“I couldn't get matching pants?” Steve asked half jokingly, trying to wrangle into the undershirt, because the black shirt looked a bit ridiculous with his blue pants and red boots.

“Ogling you in tight pants is probably the only fun people around here get,” Tony said.

Steve raised his eyebrows, because that hadn't been mean. Not against him, at least. 

“I can look for pants, I suppose,” the doctor stated uncertainly.

“No, it's fine. Can I go now?”

“Yes. Just remember to eat and drink well before getting sleep.”

Steve smiled. “That won't be a problem.” Forgetting to eat wasn't really something that happened to him.

Curled up to Tony while flying to the Tower, Steve was a bit woozy, but not so much that he missed when Tony spoke to him.

“I didn't know you were gay.”

Gay meant homosexual meant a guy who like men.

“Why would you have known?” Steve said, hoping Tony heard. Or not.

“Oh yes, we're not friends.”

And okay. Was that why Tony was upset?

“No, I mean – I haven't actually ever told anyone. Not something you wanted others to know.” 

The flight stopped then, and they were floating still in the air a moment before Tony gently let Steve down on the penthouse balcony. Steve stared while Tony touched down on the landing pad and had his suit removed by the robot arms.

Inside, there was a moment of awkward silence until Tony broke it.

“And you went to Johnny Storm?”

“More like he came to me,” Steve said, refusing to get defensive.

“And you just – what, dropped your pants for the first guy who had the guts to ask?”

“Excuse me?”

Tony looked really pissed off, which Steve couldn't comprehend at all. If anything, he should have been the angry one.

“You spent the night with him! After telling me you weren't interested in him!”

“I thought my life wasn't supposed to matter to you! But it seems like I'm missing something big here, because you make no sense!” Steve yelled. 

Tony just went on. “Did he fuck you?”

“What?!”

“A simple question, sure you know how to answer.”

Steve was almost speechless, because _what?_ “I don't think that's any of your business,” he said as coldly as he could and turned to leave.

He felt Tony's angry gaze on his back all the way to the elevator.

*****

Steve woke up to the sound of his phone. It was close to nine o' clock in the evening. He had slept most of the day.

 

_Want to meet up?_

 

Part of him did, just to spite Tony, but the other part was very sleepy.

 

_Just woke up._

 

_Rough day?_

 

_Got shot in the shoulder._

 

_Ouch. Is it bad?_

 

_Not really, it'll heal in a few days. I don't think I should be driving, though._

 

_I could come there._

 

Steve thought about how weird Tony had been and what he would do if he saw Storm in his tower.

 

_I don't think I'm very good company right now. Come pick me up tomorrow?_

 

_Or I could pick you up now. Let's order pizza and watch a movie. Nothing more straining if you're not up to it._

 

Well. What the hell.

 

_Sure. Give me an hour._

 

*****

Steve had sneaked out of the tower, which was ridiculous, he knew. Like when he and Bucky had sneaked out of the orphanage, except in this instance Tony Stark was analogous to a strict nun.

But anyway, he had sneaked out and Storm had been waiting and they'd stopped to pick up pizza on their way. They had decided to watch a WWII movie, and Steve had been somewhat apprehensive about it at first, but told Johnny that it was alright. While it felt wrong for him to see the war as entertainment – especially after he had learned about the scale of the genocide, about the concentration camps – he understood that it was important to the people who hadn't experienced it themselves to not forget about it.

And that's what art was for.

“It's crazy that you have actually fought Nazis,” Johnny commented after the movie ended.

“Crazy is that I'm alive in 2013 and watching a movie about guerrilla Jews blowing up Nazis with a guy who becomes a bonfire every once in a while.”

“Point,” Johnny laughed. Then he grew silent before giving Steve a lewd smile. “You wouldn't be up for another kind of blowing?”

“Sorry?”

“Blowjob? Taking cock into mouth?”

Oh. “You want me to – ?”

“Yes,” Storm said before Steve could end his sentence. “If you're not too tired, of course.”

Well. He was there already and Johnny had done the same to him. “I won't be any good,” he warned.

Johnny flashed him a brilliant smile. “Don't worry, the thought of having my cock in Captain America's mouth is almost enough in itself to make me come.”

Steve just gave him a reproachful look before standing up in front of Johnny and sliding to his knees.

“It's good already,” Johnny told him with eyes gone dark.

Being careful with his left arm, Steve opened Johnny's pants and pulled them down with his boxers. Johnny slid a bit closer to the edge of the couch so Steve could reach better.

Steve felt somewhat embarrassed when he took Johnny's cock into his hand, but a look at Johnny's face gave him all the courage he needed to just go for it. It was good to be looked at like that.

Keeping his hand around the shaft like Johnny had done Steve took the end into his mouth, tasting it with his tongue. He moved his mouth down until his lips touched his hand, then slowly did it again.

Storm gasped and brought his hand to his hair. “Suck it a bit?”

Steve did and was rewarded with a deep groan. It turned Steve on too, sucking a man's cock, but he thought the biggest thrill was probably seeing the other's pleasure: hearing Johnny's breathing quickening, feeling how hard he was in his mouth. He started working his hand and mouth simultaneously, sucking every time he brought his mouth upwards.

“Oh fuck, that's – yeah, just like that,” Johnny babbled. “Not going to take long.”

He kept the rhythm going, sometimes twisting his head slightly to change the angle. Johnny started to push his hips forward just a bit, moaning and groaning every once in a while. The grip on Steve's hair tightened and Steve thought to pull his head away, but then he felt the cock in his mouth starting to pulse and-- he sort of got curious.

He felt the liquid landing on the back of his mouth and swallowed without a further thought.

He let the cock slide out of his mouth, but saw a drop of come gathering on the tip and licked it off.

“Jesus,” Johnny breathed.

Steve went to sit on the sofa and tried not to feel smug.

“That was seriously hot,” Johnny said. The salty bitter taste lingered in Steve's mouth and he pulled Johnny towards him, kissing him deeply.

After that it went quickly became Johnny returning the favor, with Steve lying on his back on the sofa and Johnny kneeling between his legs.

“Are you going to stay the night?” Johnny asked later.

Steve thought about sneaking back to the tower versus not sleeping alone.

“If it's alright.”

*****

When Steve checked his phone in the morning, he saw he had gotten two messages. Both from Tony. Steve groaned and waited for the worst.

 

_I wanted to apologize. I was out of line. So, sorry._

 

Huh. Steve checked the time and saw Tony had sent it after three am. The second message, sent an hour later, got Steve's heart to beat a bit faster.

 

_Bruce said I'm jealous._

 

So apparently Bruce knew about his thing with Johnny. And Tony was jealous? It certainly explained his behavior, but really?

 

_I don't think Pepper would like that._

 

Tony answered almost immediately, meaning that he hadn't gone to sleep at all last night.

 

_We broke up._

 

Right.

 

_When?_

 

_Last night._

 

Steve tried very hard not to speculate on what that meant. Before he came up with anything to say, Tony sent another message.

 

_Are you at Storm's place?_

 

Steve glanced at a still sleeping Johnny sprawled out next to him.

 

_Yes._

 

The next message took slightly longer than the others.

 

_Do you like him?_

 

_As a friend, yes._

 

_But you have sex with him?_

 

For a second Steve thought about being annoyed, but then decided to offer something truthful since Tony had done so as well.

 

_It helps the loneliness._

 

*****

Steve returned to the tower later, after Johnny had woken up and they had eaten breakfast. He didn't see Tony anywhere, but was stopped by Natasha, Clint and Bruce in the communal living room.

“That's the second time you've been away overnight,” Clint said. “You have to tell something about her – we don't have lives, we want to live through yours.”

“Speak for yourself,” Natasha mumbled.

Steve glanced at Bruce who pointedly did not look at him.

“Him,” Steve corrected.

“What?” Clint asked.

“Not her, him.”

Clint seemed flabbergasted and even Natasha looked surprised. Bruce just looked mildly amused.

“You're gay?!”

Steve wasn't too comfortable categorizing himself like that, but seeing the spy twins surprised was quite funny.

“Don't know about that. I do like cock, though,” Steve said.

Bruce burst out laughing and Clint turned his shocked look at him. “You knew!”

He turned to Natasha. “Did you know?”

Natasha shook her head. “Had no idea,” she said and looked at Steve appraisingly.

“How did you know?” Clint asked Bruce.

“That's between Bruce and me, I think,” Steve hurried to say. Not that Bruce would have spread other people's secrets, but still.

“You're not secret lovers or something?” Clint asked.

“No comment,” Bruce just said.

“Seriously, you're not, right?”

“Clint, stop being an idiot,” Natasha said.

Steve went to his suite in a good mood.

*****

He didn't hear from Tony until that evening.

 

_What is this I hear about you and Bruce?_

 

Steve chuckled, because it seemed like Tony had a one track mind when it came to him. 

 

_Clint being obnoxious._

 

_So no other secret boyfriends?_

 

Steve was about to write that Johnny wasn't his boyfriend, but suddenly started doubting himself. He wouldn't say that they were in any kind of relationship, but he also didn't know what Johnny thought about it.

While he didn't really believe that Johnny wanted him as a _boyfriend_ , he had no idea if they were something else or had rules or anything. All he knew was that he had expected their meetings to be a lot quicker – but instead they hung out, ate and slept together. It felt a bit like dating to him.

 

_No._

 

*****

He didn't actually see Tony until the next day when he was going for breakfast.

Tony, drinking some nasty-looking sludge, greeted him, but was otherwise silent.

And Steve wanted to ask what was going on between them, if there was anything. Tony's enquiries about his personal life indicated that Tony was perhaps interested in him, or at least having some sort of thing for him.

But he hadn't actually said that he wanted anything from Steve. Or even acted more nicely towards him. 

Well, he did apologize.

“Apology accepted, by the way,” Steve said, his back towards Tony while he was making himself a sandwich.

“Oh, right. Sure.”

Tony said nothing else and when Steve went to sit opposite him, he stared at his sludge, avoiding Steve's eyes.

The thought came to Steve that perhaps Tony had been drunk the times he'd texted and was now regretting them.

“I have a new suit for you,” Tony said suddenly when Steve was about to leave.

“Oh?”

“It should hold up against bullets better than the last one.”

“That's – really nice of you. Thanks,” Steve said. And it was nice. His gear was mostly SHIELD-made, so having Tony on it was unusual.

“You should come down to the workshop and try it on sometime,” Tony said, finally looking at Steve.

“Yeah, just say when.”

“Tonight? I'll have to put some finishing touches to it before the fitting.”

“Sure, at eight?”

“Fine,” Tony nodded.

“See you then,” Steve said and left.

Steve couldn't yet do anything physically straining with his left arm, so training was out of the question. Steve eyed his sketch book and sighed. He was too wired for that.

Sitting on his bed, he contemplated activities other than punching a bag that left him feeling relaxed, but well. He had never initiated anything with Johnny.

Also it made him a bit uncomfortable to think about going to meet Tony down at the lab after seeing Johnny. Which was stupid, he thought, because he didn't actually have anything going on with Tony. But still, it felt almost like cheating.

Steve lay down and stayed still about ten minutes before, with a groan, he took his phone from the bedside table.

_Are you free?_

*****


	3. Chapter 3

“Want to watch porn?”

Steve thought it funny how casually Johnny proposed something like that.

“If you want,” Steve said, sitting down on the couch next to Johnny. 

“You'd probably like something sensual, right? I found this place that has a lot of sweet stuff, costs like a dollar per month.”

Right. Steve had no idea what to think about Johnny searching for porn that he might like.

“You didn't have to.”

“I know. I thought it'd be fun.”

Steve thought it was going to be really awkward, but then, he was very used to awkward. At least it would be better than leafing through dirty pictures with Bucky, trying to be more interested in the nude women than Bucky's expressions.

The video clip started, showing a couple of guys kissing and groping each other. It wasn't so bad, Steve thought, when the men on the screen fell down onto a bed. He still thought he'd rather be doing exactly that instead of watching two strangers doing it, but if it was something Johnny liked – well, he could deal.

When the clothes had come off and the pair was rutting together, Steve admitted that it was kind of arousing. He looked at Johnny and saw him paying rapt attention to the screen while stroking his thigh. Steve swallowed.

They hadn't said anything for a while and Steve considered asking about their relationship status, wanting to be sure what was going on before he got too distracted.

“I was wondering – “ he started, but grew silent when he glanced back at the screen. The darker one of the porn stars had his face between the other's buttocks, licking and sucking, thrusting his tongue _in_.

Steve felt a blush rising to his cheeks and his cock filling into full hardness. Was that something Johnny wanted? Was that why he had put the porn on in the first place, showing Steve instead of asking?

“What?” Johnny asked, but Steve decided to have that talk later.

Steve cleared his throat. “Is that – do you want that?”

“What, rimming?” Johnny asked. And of course there was a word for it, Steve thought dryly. “Not really. I've never actually done it, but it's pretty basic stuff in gay porn.”

“Oh. So you didn't put this on to suggest any ideas?”

Johnny smiled wryly. “Well. Maybe a little?”

Steve raised his eyebrows enquiringly.

“I was waiting for it to get to the fucking,” Johnny said.

And wasn't that what Johnny had said in the first place? _Honestly, I want to fuck you._

“I see,” Steve said, not really sure what his stance was on getting fucked by Johnny. Or anybody really.

“But it's fine if you don't want to. I mean, it's not necessarily comfortable. Not everybody likes it.”

“Do you?”

“I prefer topping, to be honest. And anyway, I usually sleep with women, so it's rarely an issue.”

Steve thought that for a second. “Would you let me top?”

And it wasn't like he wouldn't _bottom_ , at least try it, in theory. He was curious, and if the guy bottoming on the screen experienced even half the enjoyment he was broadcasting it was worth a try. But he thought it was more intimate than sucking someone's cock and required more trust. And if Johnny just wanted to fuck _Captain America_ , Steve wasn't interested.

“Well, I guess. It's just that you're–” Johnny started and then stopped.

“What?”

Johnny chuckled. “You're huge.”

“Oh.” He didn't think it was _that_ big, although it had grown some due to the serum.

“I don't mean too big, but still, I'm glad we're not dating since pretty much all of you would seriously harm my masculinity,” Johnny said jokingly.

And.

“So we're not – dating?”

Johnny looked surprised. “No. You didn't think so?”

“No, no. I just, I wasn't sure what we were exactly.”

Johnny looked a bit uncomfortable. “Okay. I usually don't really date – “

“It's great, Johnny,” Steve cut in, not wanting to be let down gently for something he didn't necessarily want in the first place.

“Okay, great,” Johnny said. Then they both grew silent.

The porn in the background had reached its peak, the darker guy _pounding_ the other, holding his legs up, their gazes locked together. Steve's arousal flared into life again. He could definitely see the appeal in both positions.

“Bed?” He asked.

“God yes.”

*****

Later on, Steve found himself lying on his stomach, rubbing against the mattress with Johnny draped across his back, moving in the same rhythm with him. He could feel precum from Johnny's cock smudged against his lower back and buttocks.

Johnny raised his upper body a bit, pressing his cock tightly against Steve's ass.

“Fuck, you look incredible like this,” he said.

“What?” Steve laughed. “Don't like my face?”

“I like your face just fine, but I think I love your ass. I mean,” Storm said and leaned down again, mouthing at Steve's neck, “I could even go for rimming.”

Steve moaned into the pillow. 

“You'd like that, wouldn't you? Me licking you open?”

Steve couldn't quite say anything, but the way he lifted his hips demandingly against Johnny was probably answer enough.

Johnny moaned and pulled Steve's hips backwards, guiding him on his knees so he could get his arm around him and grip his cock.

“Jesus, you're hard,” he moaned, jerking him slowly.

“Faster,” Steve commanded, pushing into Johnny's fist.

Johnny complied, picking up pace with his hand, pressing his lips against any bit of skin he could get to. “God, you'd take it so hard, wouldn't you?” He whispered against Steve's neck.

Steve's hips jerked at that and he came, throwing his head back and slumping down on the bed when he relaxed. Johnny took his semen-wetted hand to his own cock, using Steve's come as lubrication and stroked himself to quick completion. He groaned and watched as his come hit Steve's ass. He smeared it well against Steve's buttocks before dropping on top of him.

“That was great,” Johnny said after a while.

“Yeah.”

*****

Steve was taking the elevator to Tony's workshop. He was still a bit damp from his shower and hoped Tony wouldn't guess where he'd been and what he'd been doing. 

Upon his arrival, Tony needed only to take one glance at him before getting a pinched expression and Steve knew his hope had been in vain. How the hell was Tony so attuned to him in first place?

Thank God he didn't comment on it, though.

“The suit's there,” Tony said and pointed at the back of the room where one of his Iron Man armors was standing ominously in a glass case. The red, blue and white suit was hung up next to it on the wall.

Steve stared at them side by side, his chest feeling tight all of a sudden. Finally he went to take the suit down.

To try it on. Right.

“Tony?”

“Yes?” Tony looked up from his worktable.

“Did you use the measurements of the last suit?”

“Yes. I got them from SHIELD. Well, I took them from SHIELD,” he amended.

“Right,” Steve said and just stood there with the suit in his hands.

“Something wrong?”

Steve cringed. “It's just that my last suit was – really tight.”

Tony raised his eyebrows. “It should be just as flexible even with the more durable material.”

“Okay,” Steve said even though Tony had completely missed the point. Which was that he couldn't use any normal underwear under the suit pants. He usually had a jockstrap, anyway, for obvious reasons. But the boxers he now had on just wouldn't fit.

“Should I try it on here?”

Tony rolled his eyes. “I won't look, I promise.”

Steve turned around to face the wall and started to undress.

“I haven't made you new boots, but I can reinforce your old ones if you want.”

“They're okay, but I'll keep that in mind,” Steve said, down to his boxers and undershirt. He hesitated only a second before taking his underwear off.

“Fuck.”

Steve blushed slightly. “I thought you weren't going to look,” he said.

“I'm actually staring,” Tony said after a beat.

Steve laughed. He turned around when he got the pants on and Tony hadn't lied, he was staring.

“I am conflicted about my feelings towards that suit,” Tony said when Steve was fastening the top piece.

“Why's that?” Steve asked. He thought it was great. It had red only as an accent color, so he didn't feel as much of a flag as usual.

“On one hand, I'm enjoying seeing you in something I made, but one the other hand I'm wishing you'd take it off.”

Steve cleared his throat. “Okay.”

That sounded a lot like Tony was hitting on him, but the last time they'd spoken Tony had been silent and reserved and the times before that downright rude.

“Too much?” Tony asked. “Bruce said I should be honest.”

“About what?”

Tony looked everywhere but Steve. “About my – feelings. Towards you.”

“Oh.” That was. Right.

“So?” Tony asked.

“What?”

“Do I have a chance?”

“At what?” Steve asked, because while he didn't mean to be so dense and difficult, he wanted one straight answer. To just know what the hell was going on. Was Tony just attracted to him or – 

“Jesus. You can just say 'no'. Or did the ice – “

“Don't,” Steve interrupted. “Don't. Just, what exactly do you want?”

Tony looked raw and vulnerable, but finally met his eyes.

“Everything.”

Steve closed his eyes. “Okay.”

“What?”

Steve smiled. “I said okay.”

“Okay?” Tony asked, sounding almost confused.

“Okay as in yes, you can have it. Me. Or we can at least give it a go. But we'll take it slow.”

“Why?”

“You've just broken up with Pepper and I – I have some things to figure out.”

Tony pursed his lips and seemed like he wanted to disagree.

“And anyway, we have a lot of things to talk about,” Steve pointed out, thinking about their somewhat antagonistic past.

Tony was avoiding looking at him again. “Are you going to keep on seeing Storm?”

“I won't have sex with him, if that's what you're asking.”

Tony nodded. “So we're – exclusive?”

“I wouldn't do casual with you anyway.”

*****

 

_I won't be sleeping with you anymore._ Steve had thought about how to say it for a long time, feeling the short note was impersonal and rude. But everything else had sounded like he was breaking up with Johnny.

 

_:( Why? We don't have to fuck if that's what this is about._

 

_I'm with someone._

_Who is it and when did this happen?_

_Tony. And I feel like something's been coming for a long time._

_TONY STARK LIKES MEN?! I WISH I HAD KNOWN!_

 

Steve chuckled and Johnny send another text immediately after.

 

_If you want a threesome you can call me._

_I'll keep that in mind._

_I'm serious._

_I'm sure you are._

 

*****

“So how's it going with you and your boyfriend?”

“Not my boyfriend,” Steve said without taking his eyes off the book he was reading.

Clint watched the TV show for several minutes before trying again. “So you just fuck?”

“We ended our arrangement.”

“Why?”

Steve hadn't seen Tony since the suit fitting the day before and they hadn't talked about what to say to people. They hadn't talked about anything, really. Steve had given Tony another show when he had changed back into his clothes and he had left with a kiss on Tony's cheek.

“I have someone else,” Steve said, deciding he could at least give the outline.

“What?” Clint asked. “How do you even meet anyone, you're here most of the time – oh God.”

“What?”

“Don't tell me you meet people on the internet.”

“I don't.”

“Thank God. That would have been too much for my heart.”

Steve gave Clint a look. “Why would you care?”

“Weirdly enough, it gives me a sense of security that you dress and comb your hair like that, that you don't make profiles on dating sites and don't watch reality TV.”

“I'm glad I can help.”

His phone vibrated then, notifying him of a new message.

 

_What exactly does 'slow' mean? Slow as in we'll take time before committing to each other emotionally but can have a lot of sex in the mean time, or slow as in we'll go on dates to get to know each other before anything else? If the latter I'm propositioning a date as soon as possible. We can go anywhere you like. Paris, London, Brooklyn, you name it._

 

Steve couldn't help smiling. 

“That him?”

“Yeah,” Steve said and started to think of an answer. He had meant slow mostly emotionally. He didn't want to be a part of Tony's break up with Pepper, and he wanted to be sure he wouldn't start a relationship just to not be lonely. They had almost explosive chemistry and Steve went sort of weak in the knees because of how good and decent and unselfish Tony was underneath it all. Also, he suspected he had a weird thing for jerks. Tony made him absolutely crazy and he wanted the chance to go a different kind of crazy and he didn't want to mess it up by hurrying and not solving their issues first.

And while he might not have minded getting started on the physical side on their relationship, he knew that was a quick way to get their emotions tangled up in it all.

How to put that into a few words, though?

Turned out he didn't have to, because suddenly Tony was there.

“How long can it take to answer one text? I thought you had adjusted well to the technology of the future,” Tony said as he walked across the living room and dropped on a loveseat opposite Steve.

Steve couldn't quite look at Clint and he couldn't answer to Tony either so he decided to look at the floor and pretend he wasn't there.

“What?” Tony asked.

Steve dared a look around and saw Tony being very unimpressed by his silent audience and Clint watching the TV with his eyes as big as saucers.

“I'm serious, what's your problem?”

Steve cleared his throat. “I think Clint is shocked because he just learned about our relationship and I'm just embarrassed.”

Tony adjusted to the situation remarkably fast. “Embarrassed? What reason is there for you to be embarrassed? You've landed _me_ , which is a phenomenal improvement over Johnny Storm.”

“Oh my God,” Clint moaned.

“And now he learned about my thing with Johnny Storm,” Steve said dryly, not really caring anymore.

“So let me get this straight,” Clint started, finally gathering himself, “you've already bagged Johnny Storm and Tony Stark? Who's next, Hugh Hefner?”

“Hey!” Tony exclaimed. “That's just no. I have nothing to do with that old coot. And neither will Steve. And actually, I'll have you know that we're together _exclusively_. As in not seeing other people. Ever again. Because we're in love. And will get married. And I will stop there before Steve dies.”

Steve wasn't exactly dying, but was surprised at Tony's little speech, made jokingly or no.

“Please do. I think I will go to my room and cry,” Clint said before rising and walking away.

“To answer your earlier question, marriage is not slow,” Steve said.

“Is sex?”

“Not really, I guess. I don't think we need to go on dates since we live together already, but we should do stuff together just to see if we can actually stand being around each other for longer periods of time.”

Tony pondered that for a moment. “Does watching TV together count?”

“I don't think we need to – “

“Does it?”

Steve sighed. “Yes.”

“Great,” Tony said and migrated from the loveseat to the couch Steve was on, sitting on the other side of it. “JARVIS, put on something nice.”

“You're ridiculous,” Steve said affectionately after a while.

“But you're dating me.”

Steve found he didn't mind that so much.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The biggest thanks for my brilliant beta Schizanthus.

Steve wasn't sure he had thought through the whole going slow thing. Because. Well. Honestly, he was horny.

And while he wouldn't hurry things along just because he wanted sex, it was driving him crazy just how much he wanted it. He tried to remind himself that he had lived well into his twenties without it, and it wouldn't kill him to wait however long it took.

And then Tony. God. The man had apparently really decided to do the slow thing, because he didn't propose anything or didn't even try to make them _do stuff together_ , which Steve had not only expected but actually waited for. But then, Jesus, every once in a while Steve would catch him staring with such blatant desire that his mouth went dry.

And if Steve just knew where they were -- was Tony really after a serious relationship with him? -- things would be easier. Because while the man had said he wanted everything, he had never really said anything about what his feelings were except insinuating that he appreciated Steve's body. And the looks – Tony never even smiled at him, only stared like he wanted to eat him. Or use him in some nefarious and kinky experiments.

So, in the end it meant that he masturbated at least every morning and night, sometimes twice in a row.

He'd gladly be masturbating right now, to be honest, but instead he was bored out of his mind at some sort of national security themed gala. He had a lot of people wanting to talk to him, and he went along with it politely, but most of his attention was focused on trying to catch Tony's eye from the other side of the room.

“I hate these things, too.”

Steve was startled out of his thoughts by a voice belonging to a young woman. Turning around, he realized it was not just any woman, but one of the Fantastic Four, _Storm's sister_.

“Sue Storm, right?” Steve asked.

“Yes, we saw each other briefly when my brother was being an idiot,” she answered.

Steve just smiled, because if Sue Storm didn't know about him and Johnny, he wasn't going to tell.

“Is he here too?”

“Yes, but don't worry, he seems to be pestering Tony Stark, you're probably safe,” she said.

With an uncomfortable feeling, Steve turned to look where he'd last seen Tony and saw that Sue was right. Johnny was saying something to Tony, smiling widely. Tony didn't seem to be in as good a mood.

And it wasn't like he thought Johnny would try to grate Tony's nerves on purpose, but Johnny didn't know how things were with him and Tony, didn't know about the jealousy and didn't know that Tony probably wouldn't like the idea of a threesome.

_Oh God_ , Steve thought, _please don't suggest a threesome_.

Since he was staring at the two men, he saw when both of their gazes turned towards him. Johnny was smirking lewdly and Tony's smile was so fake Steve had trouble looking at him.

“Looks like you might be on the line of fire after all,” Sue said with an apologetic air.

“Yeah,” Steve complied. But not the way Sue meant.

*****

The ride home was excruciatingly awkward. As the only two Avengers at the gala, they had taken one of Tony's cars together.

Steve was afraid of what Johnny might have said, but knew that he had to ask. They had been sort of okay when they had left for the gala earlier on. Tony had stared at him like _that_ again and then mumbled something about his suit, but relaxed when they'd got to the car and even cracked a joke about Steve being his arm candy.

Steve cleared his throat. “Tony,” he started.

“I know,” Tony interrupted him. “I know, okay. And it's hard and awkward and not going that well, and, I don't know, maybe you feel I'm too old for you, or something, but – but don't give up on me yet. I'm trying and I'll try harder, but don't. Not yet.”

“Tony,” Steve tried again, having forgotten about Johnny already because Tony's words felt like a punch to his gut. “You don't have to _try harder_. It's not – it's not you, you're not too old. I – “ _should be the one trying harder_ , he wanted to say. That he hadn't meant for Tony to be so subdued and careful around him all the time, even censoring himself.

“I really want to kiss you right now,” he blurted instead.

“Oh,” Tony said, surprised. Then: “I don't know if Happy'll be too happy if you – wait, what am I saying? He's seen worse, you can kiss me.”

Steve for his embarrassment had sort of forgotten about Tony's driver. “I think I can restrain myself until we get back home.”

“Well, I'm not sure I can wait.”

But he could, in the end. Happy parked the car into the Tower's garage, and before he could get out and open the doors Tony addressed him.

”I think we'll sit here for a while, admire the car, enjoy the silence and so on. You can go.”

”Okay, boss,” Happy said coolly, but Steve saw his amused expression form the rearview mirror. Could they be any more obvious?

They sat in silence for a moment when Happy had gone, Tony staring straight ahead of him and Steve wondering how the hell he could be so nervous. It was their first real kiss, sure, but it wasn't like he had to be afraid that Tony wouldn't want it.

Pulling himself together he turned to Tony and leaned closer, putting his hand on Tony's shoulder.

“Come here,” he said and was relieved when Tony did, not exactly throwing himself onto him, but a close thing. Their lips met, hard and demanding, and God, Tony could kiss -- open mouthed and hot and making Steve moan and pull Tony onto his lap.

Finding himself straddling Steve made Tony stop for a second and take a note of their position. Then, with eyes gone dark he went back to kissing, even more wanting and needy than before, if possible.

Steve couldn't keep his hands away, trying to feel up every inch of Tony's body, and couldn't stop himself from opening Tony's shirt, ignoring all thoughts about going slow. It wasn't like he could have forgotten that he was with _Tony_ , of course not, but seeing the arc reactor that close, being able to press his face against it, it really hit home that Tony Stark was with him now.

“I won't give up on you,” he said then, not really meaning to, but it seemed that he had no control over his mouth.

And even though he had said it mostly to Tony's chest, Tony probably heard it, because he let out a soft _oh_ again. 

Steve pulled Tony tightly against him and started to explore his neck, barely noticing when Tony pulled off his tie and pushed his jacket from his shoulders.

“Pants, Steve,” Tony said hurriedly.

Steve leaned a bit backwards to fight his jacket completely off while Tony opened their belts and pants' fastenings.

Giving Tony a quick look for consent (and getting it), Steve eased Tony out of his underpants. Feeling almost remorseful that he couldn't quite reach to take it into his mouth, he wrapped his hand around Tony's cock.

Tony moaned and slammed his other hand against the car ceiling, supporting himself so he wouldn't hit his head against it when he started to move with Steve's hand. Steve couldn't get enough of how Tony looked right then, legs spread, mouth open, cock pulsing and arc reactor shining like the goddamned sun.

It was impossible not think about how it would feel if they were exactly like this, only with Tony riding him, his cock buried deep inside.

“Please,” he moaned as his hips jerked at the intense thought. Tony seemed to understand his need, because he slipped his hand into Steve's boxers and took him into his hand. 

Steve felt that he had far too many clothes on still, but to get his shirt off would have required him to release Tony's cock and that thought was almost unthinkable just then. He tugged Tony down by his neck for another kiss, missing already the scratch of Tony's goatee against his face. He fantasized about feeling it everywhere on his body.

Tony moved closer on his lap and pressed their cocks together. Groaning into Tony's mouth, Steve adjusted his grip to cover them both. It was burning hot and slick with both of their precome and just so _intimate_ that he felt lost to the feeling and wanted never to be found.

“Steve – _Cap_ , oh fuck,” Tony moaned and came, coating their hands and Steve's cock with his come. Steve, on the edge himself, stroked himself quickly to an amazing orgasm.

“Cap?” Steve enquired some minutes later when he felt like he could actually speak. 

“It's your nickname,” Tony mumbled against his neck.

“I know,” Steve said lazily, “but isn't it – weird to use it in bed?”

“But we're not in bed. Although I can come up with other names for you if you want.”

Steve chuckled, because he was sure Tony would have countless ridiculous names for him.

“What now?” Tony asked.

Steve would have gladly liked to stay just like they were for the foreseeable future, sated with a half-naked Tony in his arms, but he knew that Tony must be uncomfortable.

“I'm thinking food and sleep.”

“Oh. Yeah, it's probably bed time for supersoldiers,” Tony said and started to put his clothes back on. “I'll go to the shop for some work.”

Right. Steve had meant it as an invitation, but since it seemed that Tony would rather go to his workshop, he didn't say anything else.

He did, however, pull Tony in for one last kiss before the man climbed off him and out of the car.

*****

Having sex had relieved some of the tension between them, but things weren't any sort of easy yet. They had started the whole relationship backwards, deciding to be together before really being together, so all rules and limits were still to be tested. Steve had no idea what was okay and what wasn't.

Tony was gone for a business meeting and Steve had just got a text from Johnny, asking him to hang out.

It wasn't like Steve would ask Tony for _permission_ to go, but he was conflicted as to whether he should inform Tony or not. In the end, Steve decided that since Tony hadn't told him where he was or how long he'd be gone – Steve only knew because he had asked JARVIS – it wasn't expected of him either, no matter if it was with Johnny. Besides, it wasn't like Tony had anything to be jealous of anymore.

Sometimes he was a bit dumb, Steve thought later.

Being with Johnny was weirdish now. They watched movies and ate (and what a great way to spend time, Steve thought), not really even talking that much, and every once in a while Steve caught Johnny giving him a look. Steve thought he got it. He too had fleeting thoughts about how Johnny had sucked him off right here not that long ago, how they'd been sitting just like this – even with the same beer – that first time they'd made out.

Of course he'd never cheat – and to be honest, he wasn't even slightly tempted – but he couldn't deny the tension between them.

But there was nothing to really do about it. Johnny was his only friend or something like it outside the team and he didn't want to let that go.

“Are you gonna stay here?” Johnny asked after the last movie. 

Steve realized it was past midnight already. He gave it a fleeting thought, because it would be kind of comforting to fall asleep there on the couch to the sound of someone else sleeping in the same room. But. Well. If he was waking up alone, he'd rather do it in his own bed.

“No thanks. Better get home.”

“How is it with Stark, then?”

“Good,” Steve answered, not knowing how true that was, but not feeling like talking about personal matters. However, there was something he did want to talk about. “I saw you talking to him at the gala.”

“Oh, right,” Johnny smirked.

“Just out of curiosity, what did you say to him?”

“Nothing really. Well. I congratulated him for banging you.”

“Right.” That might have explained Tony's behavior in the car, Steve thought. They hadn't had sex yet, so getting reminded about it from someone Steve had had sex with most likely fed Tony's insecurities.

Curious how it all seemed to come down to sex again.

Sure, he wasn't much better himself these days, but he started to wonder if things wouldn't be easier relationship-wise if he still had his pre-serum form. While neither Johnny nor Tony probably would have looked at him twice if not for this body, at least he wouldn't have had to worry that Tony mistook his physical attraction for something else.

God it would be so much easier if he could just talk to Tony. Wasn't that a thought, to be able to communicate with your _boyfriend_ , Steve thought ruefully.

And then he thought _why not?_ Nothing was stopping him from going to Tony and telling him that he raised such a myriad of feelings in Steve, from frustration and annoyance to the more recent affection and lust that it was improbable that he was just acting out of loneliness. Maybe Tony would give him something in return.

That in mind he went back to the Tower, but Tony wasn't there yet.

“JARVIS, do you know when Tony'll be back?”

“Sir is attending a party, so the appropriate answer would be 'God only knows'.”

Steve chuckled at the AI's wryness. “I thought he was in a business meeting or something.”

“He was, but left for the party after he came home and found that you had deserted the premises earlier on.”

Shit.

“Shit.”

“Indeed.”

While it was possible that Tony had just decided that he felt like partying, Steve thought it safe to assume that he had found out about him going to Johnny's and was getting upset about it.

He should have texted Tony.

But it was too late now, so Steve just had to wait until Tony came home.

“JARVIS, will you notify me when Tony gets back?”

“Of course.”

*****

JARVIS had woken Steve up so late it was practically morning, telling him that Tony was back and gone straight to bed. 

The next time he woke Steve, Tony was nursing his hangover in the bathroom and Steve didn't think it was the best time for a talk.

So he waited.

It was late afternoon after he'd just come home from a jog when JARVIS told him that Tony had finally left his rooms and migrated to his workshop. Not wanting to wait any longer and risk missing his chance, Steve skipped the shower and headed straight to the workshop.

Steve entered using his code (at least it worked; not a bad sign) and found Tony sitting in his chair, a glass in hand, not doing any work as far as Steve could see.

Dear God, he wanted to comment on the drinking, but reigned himself in at the last moment. Now was not the time to piss Tony off.

“You're here,” Tony stated, glancing at Steve briefly before turning to look somewhere far off.

“Yes. I was waiting for you to wake up.”

Tony scoffed. “So you could what? Break up with me politely?”

“That's what you think is going on here?” Steve asked surprised, walking closer to where Tony was, because that was quite a leap of logic in his books.

“The minute I leave you're off to shack up with Storm, a fact I learned from _Clint_ after cutting my business meeting short to get to – back here. So I don't know, what am I supposed to think?”

“Maybe that I wouldn't cheat?” Steve said, standing now in front of Tony, wanting to take a hold of him and shake some sense into him. And then maybe kiss him. “Johnny's my friend.”

“That you fucked.”

“So you're telling me you're not friends with Pepper any more?”

Tony scowled. “That's different.”

“It really isn't. Because I have no idea why you two broke up or if you still want her back or whether I'm your first choice anyway or just some fulfillment of your childhood's Captain America fantasies!”

Tony tensed noticeably. “I broke up with Pepper because I'm in love with you.”

Right. That is. “Oh.”

Tony didn't say anything more and Steve was left dumbstruck, because when had that happened?

“How long?” He finally asked.

“I don't know. For a while. Not that you can't be annoying, but some of my more unprovoked sniping might have been because I was angry at you for making me feel like Pepper wasn't enough,” Tony said, smiling hollowly.

“I see,” Steve said and turned his eyes from Tony, trying to think straight.

“Still want to continue this?” Tony asked after a prolonged silence.

“What?!” Steve exclaimed when he was roused from his thoughts. “Are you an idiot? You think your telling me you love me is going to make me want to let you go?!”

“You don't seem to be dancing with joy either,” Tony pointed out.

Steve huffed. “I'm just wondering if I can wait till we get to your bedroom or if I should just ravish you right here.”

A flirtatious smile formed slowly on Tony's face and all Steve could think was _finally_. In the last few days he had started to _yearn_ for Tony to be his playful self in his company.

“May I just say that I wholeheartedly support all your ravishing needs, but I would really fucking much like to see you spread naked on my bed.”

“Yes,” Steve said and pulled Tony to his feet. He took the glass from his hand and settled it on the ground. He kissed Tony because he couldn't not, but ended it soon since he really wanted Tony in a bed.

“You smell sweaty,” Tony commented, face still close to Steve's.

“And you reek like a drunkard, but I don't care.”

Tony smiled. “I was just laying the groundwork to get you into a bath with me after we ruin my bed.”

“You don't need elaborate plans for that. I promise I'm easy,” Steve said and started to pull Tony towards the elevator.

“Captain America is not easy!” Tony said, pretending to be affronted.

“For his boyfriend he is,” Steve answered and that concluded the conversation as Tony pushed him against the elevator wall and began to take Steve apart with his lips.

It was because enthusiastic face-sucking made it hard to concentrate on anything else that they missed the elevator stopping before Tony's level.

“Jesus Chr– you know what? Don't mind me.”

Steve froze and tried to make a little room between him and Tony.

“I'm serious, please continue,” Clint said, standing in the doorway. And stared.

“I thought you'd be half-way to the next state screaming by now,” Tony commented, not moving his hands away from Steve.

“I was shocked by Cap being a cock hungry slut, not the gay sex.”

“Cock hungry _slut_?” Steve repeated.

“Yeah, but I'm over it now.”

Tony looked like he wanted to protest, but found Steve's sluttiness too funny to do that.

“Really, please keep on going, I don't mind,” Clint said as he stepped into the elevator and pushed the button to the communal floor beneath Tony's penthouse.

Tony smirked. “I think Hawkeye is trying to use reverse psychology on us.”

“You think?” Clint said sarcastically.

“I'm deeply offended,” Steve tried.

“We should pay back to the mean man in tights by continuing to make out.”

“I will pay him back by kicking his ass in training session tomorrow morning. At seven,” Steve said, looking at Clint.

Clint smirked. “I accept that if you promise kicking will be the only action you'll giving my ass.”

“That depends on whether or not your arrow will be pointing at me,” Steve answered as the elevator came to a stop.

Tony burst laughing at that and Steve sent a silent thank you to Johnny for that quip.

“Sassy Cap always makes me so hot,” Tony said.

Clint snorted. “See you at our weirdly homoerotic morning training,” he said and left them.

“Sassy Cap?” Steve felt like he had to ask when they got to Tony's floor.

“You'd rather be a cock hungry slut?” Tony murmured against Steve's neck.

Steve quickly checked which way the bedroom was so he could steer them there while concentrating on unclothing Tony. “Not necessarily.”

Tony hummed. “What about 'babe'? Because I have to confess the thought of you being voluntarily my babe makes me warm and giggly inside.”

Steve chuckled. “Well. If it makes you warm and giggly.”

“Very giggly,” Tony said.

They were standing next to the bed, Tony shirtless and both without their shoes, a feeling of excitement and anticipation lacing through Steve.

It didn't take long to take care of the rest of their clothing. Steve took Tony in greedily, the sleek form with most definition in shoulders and arms, the slightly tanned skin with only a little hair – Steve wondered if Tony did something to it – and the scarring on his chest. And of course, the arc reactor. Steve felt slightly guilty for liking it, for liking how unique it made Tony, because keeping Tony alive or not, the arc reactor was also an invasive piece of machinery inside Tony's chest.

“I know I'm not super soldier quality,” Tony started to say, but Steve didn't want to hear anything like it.

“I want you so much,” he interrupted and gently pushed Tony to lie on the bed.

Steve followed him and when Tony spread his legs to give Steve room between them, his arousal became almost painful. He gave Tony a short kiss, and went on to do what he had wanted already in the car. After licking off the drop of precome, he took Tony into his mouth.

“Jesus fuck,” Tony moaned and Steve wondered how you could want something so much. Not just wanting sex, to get off, but wanting to have someone so close to you and inside you and wanting to be inside them. Tony's cock was hot and big in his mouth and all he wanted was to gag on it.

Well. Not all he wanted.

“Steve, I'm really close,” Tony warned him and Steve let Tony's cock slip from his mouth.

“Come here,” Tony said and Steve went, positioning himself atop Tony, kissing him more. But when Tony closed his hand around him, he stopped moving.

“You want me to suck you?”

“I – yes, but. I thought you might,” Steve started, but the words _fuck me_ got stuck in his throat.

“What?” Tony asked. Steve said nothing but tried to convey his wish through his gaze. Luckily Tony seemed to be good at wordless sex talk.

“You want me to fuck you?”

Steve swallowed. “Yeah.”

“Jesus, right. Yeah, that. That can be arranged,” Tony babbled.

After a heated kiss and somefumbling to get condoms and lubrication, Steve found himself on his hands and knees, Tony behind him, putting his fingers inside him. 

“Steve,” Tony said but didn't continue. 

Steve moaned almost desperately because of how wrecked Tony had sounded. “Please just do it already,” he almost pleaded.

Steve could feel Tony pulling his fingers out and changing position behind him. He reflexively braced himself but instead of pushing inside, Tony draped himself over Steve and rubbed his cock against his crack.

Mouthing against Steve's back, Tony started a slow rhythm with his hips and Steve melted into it, letting it relax him. Then, just when Steve was starting to wonder if Tony was actually going to do it, he changed his angle and started to slowly push his cock in.

Steve welcomed the slight pain of it because it cleared his mind a bit. At least until he started to think more closely about what exactly caused it.

“Steve, babe, can I move?” Tony asked when he was fully inside.

“Yeah, God, you _have_ to move,” Steve answered.

After a few careful thrusts Tony started to pick up speed, but it wasn't enough.

“Harder, Tony.”

“It won't last if I do that,” Tony answered, slightly out of breath.

“I don't care. You can fuck me later as slow as you want, but for now, do it as hard as you can,” Steve said and could you blame him if it came out more commanding than he meant for it to be? Tony had called him Cap last time while he was _coming_ ; Steve doubted he'd mind being given orders in bed.

“Oh fuck,” Tony groaned and proved Steve right.

The next minute and a half, Steve was sure, were some of the best of his life so far, being able to forget everything but the rough, fast slide of Tony in and out of him. 

“Touch yourself,” Tony said. 

Steve hadn't even thought about that. He thought that feeling and _hearing_ Tony pounding into him could have been enough to set him off, but now that Tony had brought it up he found he couldn't wait another second.

Leaning on just one arm, he dropped his head down and took himself into hand and that was it. He came so hard he thought for a second he'd lose consciousness, a huge wave of pleasure flowing through him.

When he felt like his arm could support him without concentrating on it and he could actually form a coherent thought, he realized Tony had stopped but not finished.

Steve, instead of saying to Tony that he could continue, squeezed his muscles around Tony's cock and was rewarded with a deep groan.

“Babe, please, I have to – “

“Yeah, do it,” Steve interrupted.

Tony started thrusting again, going straight for fast and hard. It wasn't exactly that comfortable anymore, but Tony using him like that was actually really arousing. Steve wondered if he could go for several times in a row.

“God, you take it so well,” Tony said and came after a few more thrusts.

Tony slumped against his back and Steve lowered them carefully onto the bed. 

“I never want to get out of you,” Tony mumbled against Steve's neck.

“Well. I wouldn't really mind, but the condom must be uncomfortable,” Steve said after trying to find the right words for a moment. 

Tony chuckled. “True.”

He pulled out then and went to the bathroom to throw the condom away and clean up a bit. Steve lay on top of his own come on the bed and decided that he was comfortable enough. At least Tony couldn't get the wrong idea and go to the workshop or something if Steve stayed on _his_ bed.

“Come back,” he said to Tony when the man hesitated at the bathroom door, just to be sure.

“Yeah, okay, for a minute, but then I have to – “

“No, you don't,” Steve said and tried for his Captain voice in spite of his state of utter relaxation.

“Then I have to make the _bath_ ,” Tony said as he lay down half on top of Steve.

Oh. Right. “That's okay, I guess.”

“Yeah, you're sweaty and spermy and lube-y, you need it.”

Well. That was only true, Steve supposed.

*****

Tony's bath was big enough that they could have both washed and relaxed on their own, but Steve pulled Tony to lie against his chest as soon as he had found a comfortable position.

“You're very handsy,” Tony commented when Steve was washing him behind the ears.

Steve slowed his ministrations down to a complete stop and even put the sponge away. He wondered if he was maybe too touchy-feely or something, if this wasn't appropriate, if men didn't – if Tony didn't like touching outside of a sexual context. He could deal, he supposed, but he was, maybe, a bit starved for physical affection. He had never really had any except for Bucky's one armed hugs and elbows to the ribs and nobody touched him now outside of sparring or more lately, sex.

“It wasn't a complaint,” Tony said.

After a moment of hesitation, Steve combed his fingers through Tony's hair, his nails against Tony's scalp.

“ _Definitely_ not a complaint.”

As he continued, Tony melted against him and made low, approving noises every now and then. Seeing that he was practically sitting on Steve's lap, Steve began to feel turned on.

“You know, you really made me want to try to bottom some time,” Tony said suddenly.

_Try to bottom?_ Steve wanted to repeat, feeling somewhat surprised. “You mean, you've never done it before?” he asked, trying to sound normal.

“Well, no. While I've been curious at times, I haven't really felt like I'd need it. When I was younger, when curiosity was all the reason I needed to do things, I didn't really do guys. Well. I've never really done guys. I mean, I've felt the attraction now and then and rarely said no to a free blow job, but that's about it.”

Steve tried to process that.

“So I'm the first guy you've dated?”

“Yeah,” Tony said, still leaning against Steve his eyes closed even though Steve had once again stopped the petting. “Also, the first guy I've ever really wanted to date.”

“How does that work? You're forty, you've met a lot of people,” Steve pointed out.

“Maybe I have high standards,” Tony said. “It's not like I've really actually _dated_ a lot of women. Slept with, yes, but not really wanted to see them after.”

“Right.”

Tony turned his head a bit to squint at Steve. “You're not disapproving of your boyfriend's wild past, are you?”

Well, to be honest, Steve actually was, a bit. Not like he thought he had any say as to how people should live their lives. Even though he rationalized that it was perfectly fine to sleep around as much as you wanted if you didn't lead your partners on, he couldn't quite smother down the feeling of disapproval. But he could ignore it. And that wasn't it, anyway.

“No. I just wondered if you're sure you want to see me tomorrow morning. Or some morning after that.”

Now Tony rose to sit and turned fully to Steve. “I'm really fucking sure,” he said, almost angry.

Steve was weirdly warmed by Tony's vehemence.

“Okay,” he said.

Tony wasn't done, though. “You said in the car that you won't give up on me. I'm not doing that either. And if it wasn't clear already, I'm almost nauseatingly in love with you. Pathetic, really.”

“Okay, Tony,” Steve said and smiled. While he wasn't ready to talk about love himself, he didn't mind Tony saying it to him. Quite the opposite.

“Good.”

Soon the water was getting cold and they got out, toweling off. They changed the bedsheets before falling down on the clean ones.

Tony nudged Steve to lie on his stomach and he went easily, trusting Tony. “What are you doing?” he asked when Tony didn't come to lie beside him.

“I just wanted to check you up,” he said and Steve was about to ask what Tony was talking about when Tony's hands were on his lower back and sliding down.

“Oh,” he said and felt his cheeks heat up. Was it weird that he felt embarrassed and bashful now, after what they'd done?

“You – I didn't hurt you, did I? I only thought about it in the bath, what with your semi poking me, that it was a bit rough and while not in your league, I'm not exactly small.“

“I'm fine, Tony,” Steve said, but decided to let Tony look.

Not the least because of how it made his breath hitch when Tony parted his buttocks.

Tony said nothing so Steve tried to ignore his flustered feeling and peeked at Tony over his shoulder. He had spoken the truth when he'd said he was fine. His ass felt perfectly fine.

Tony was looking at him possessively and Steve had to swallow.

“Well?”

“Oh, yeah,” Tony said and, God, pushed a finger against him, then gently inside him, “You're great, it's like I never fucked you in the first place.”

“I recover fast,” Steve said, now against the pillow because he couldn't look anymore.

“Yeah, you do,” Tony said and pulled his finger out but kept his hands on Steve's butt.

That was okay.

“So,” Tony began after a while, now caressing Steve's behind and thighs, “how do I rate against Storm?”

Tony had a good tactical mind, Steve had to admit, because he was enjoying himself so much under Tony's hands that he could barely muster the energy to roll his eyes.

When he was about to tell Tony how ridiculous he was, it occurred to him that maybe Tony still was jealous and insecure. Steve hadn't exactly returned his love, even though he had tried to make it clear that he was serious about Tony. Since sex seemed to be a language Tony spoke, Steve decided to try it.

“In what? Fucking?” He asked anpd continued before Tony could answer. “I wouldn't know.”

“What?”

“Yeah. I had sex with Johnny, but you're the only man I've fucked. Heck, you're the only _person_ I've done it with,” Steve said and felt weirdly bitter all of a sudden. “Hope you get something out of that.”

Tony was silent, and then, gently, “Was he your first?”

“Yes,” Steve admitted reluctantly. He wasn't ashamed or even embarrassed, but he was prepared for Tony to act stupidly about it.

“I hope he was good to you.”

Right, well. “He was fine.”

Tony didn't continue so Steve took a deep breath and relaxed again into the intimate touches. Soon Tony leaned to kiss Steve's back, trailing up his spine with his lips. Steve made an appreciative sound and turned his head to better offer his neck to Tony.

“You know,” Tony said with a low voice after licking a stripe from Steve's shoulder to ear, “I'm going to be so much better than fine to you. I promise.”

Steve tensed. On the one hand, he was quite taken with Tony right then, but on the other – 

“You are completely ridiculous,” he said, but decided it wasn't enough, so he rolled to his back and pulled Tony against him just to roll them over again, trapping Tony underneath him. Feeling a bit cold without Tony's attention to his back, he pulled the bed cover over them.

Turning to look at Tony he saw him surprised and about to open his mouth.

Steve kissed him, deep and hard, intending to purge every ridiculous thought out of Tony's mind at least for an hour.

Well, he thought when Tony _keened_ after Steve started to rub Tony's hard-on with the hand that wasn't holding Tony down. Make that every single thought for two hours.

Afterwards, lying in bed with his head on Tony's shoulder, gazing drowsily at the arc reactor, Steve felt content for being the one to distract Tony from his mind when needed.


End file.
